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SB1665 • 2026

Human Rights

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 50; Title 49, Chapter 7, Part 24 and Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 51, relative to the use of honorifics.

Children Education Labor Parental Rights
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Rose, Maberry
Last action
2026-03-12
Official status
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms.

Law About Honorifics

This bill changes Tennessee laws to include 'honorifics' in rules about not forcing students, teachers, state employees, or contractors to use someone's preferred name or pronoun.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds the word 'honorifics' to existing laws that say schools and other places can't make people use a person’s chosen name or pronoun.
  • Updates rules for state employees, contractors, and educational institutions to cover the use of preferred names, pronouns, and now also honorifics.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Students in Tennessee schools.
  • Teachers and staff at Tennessee schools.
  • State employees and contractors working with the state of Tennessee.

Terms To Know

honorific
A title or form of address used to show respect, such as 'Mr.', 'Mrs.', 'Dr.'

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not explain what specific honorifics are allowed or prohibited.
  • It is unclear how this change will be enforced in schools and other state institutions.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB1666

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee laws to include 'honorifics' alongside names and pronouns in various sections related to education and state employment.

  • Adds the term 'honorifics' where 'names and pronouns' are mentioned, affecting how individuals can be addressed or referred to in educational settings and by state employees.
  • Specifies that a person's preferred honorific must match their sex unless written consent is obtained from parents or guardians for minors.
  • Restricts the use of honorifics inconsistent with an individual’s sex when addressing students, teachers, employees, contractors, or state workers.
  • The amendment text does not provide specific examples of what constitutes 'honorifics', which may cause confusion about its application.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/16/2026

  2. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/14/2026

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  4. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 4/8/2026

  5. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Education Committee

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/31/2026

  8. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  9. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

  10. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  11. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  12. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026

  13. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/18/2026

  14. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  15. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  16. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 26, Nays 6

  17. 2026-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/9/2026

  18. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  19. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/11/2026

  20. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/11/2026

  21. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/4/2026

  22. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/4/2026

  23. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/4/2026

  24. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 2/18/2026

  25. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  26. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  27. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  28. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 2/11/2026

  29. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  30. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  31. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee - Education Committee

  32. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  33. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  34. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  35. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1666
By Maberry

SENATE BILL 1665
By Rose
SB1665
010345
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8,
Chapter 50; Title 49, Chapter 7, Part 24 and Title
49, Chapter 6, Part 51, relative to the use of
honorifics.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-5102(a)(3), is amended by
deleting the language "names and pronouns" and substituting instead "names, pronouns, and
honorifics".
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-5102, is amended by deleting
the language "pronoun" wherever it appears in subsections (b) and (c) and substituting instead
"pronoun or honorific".
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-5102(d), is amended by
deleting the language "pronouns" wherever it appears and substituting instead "pronouns or
honorifics" and by deleting the language "pronoun or title" and substituting instead "pronoun,
title, or honorific".
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-5102(e), is amended by
deleting the language "preferred name or preferred pronoun" wherever it appears in subdivision
(1) and substituting instead "preferred name, pronoun, or honorific" and by deleting the
language "pronouns" wherever it appears in subdivision (2) and substituting instead "pronouns
or honorifics".
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-7-2409(a)(3), is amended by
deleting the language "names or pronouns" and substituting instead "names, pronouns, and
honorifics".

- 2 - 010345

SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-7-2409, is amended by deleting
the language "pronoun" wherever it appears in subsections (b) and (c) and substituting instead
"pronoun or honorific" and by deleting the language "pronouns" in subsection (d) and
substituting instead "pronouns or honorifics".
SECTION 7. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-50-121(a)(3), is amended by
deleting the language "names and pronouns" and substituting instead "names, pronouns, and
honorifics".
SECTION 8. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-50-121, is amended by deleting the
language "pronoun" wherever it appears in subsections (b) and (c) and substituting instead
"pronoun or honorific" and by deleting "pronouns" wherever it appears in subsection (d) and
substituting instead "pronouns or honorifics".
SECTION 9. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.